Plenty of Time
by Voyfemme
Summary: Summary: Janeway finds out that Chakotay has been keeping secrets from her. JC
1. Chapter 1

**Part 9: Coming into the Light: **

**Ray 4: Plenty of Time**

Summary:

Janeway finds out that Chakotay has been keeping secrets from her. (J/C)

_Pairing: _J/C, CT_Rating_: PG-13_Type of Story:_ Drama_Level_: 2

* * *

**Part 9: Coming into the Light: **

**Ray 4: Plenty of Time**

"Would any of you like to tell me what's going on?"

"It's personal Captain."

There was a moment of silence

Kathryn spoke up, "Ordinarily that would be enough, but you are crew members on this ship who started a public brawl in the Mess Hall. This brawl sent five other crewmembers to Sickbay and damaged one replicator. It destroyed ten chairs and six tables. Never in the history of this ship have I seen such violent behavior exhibited between members of my crew and such wanton disregard for property. So I will ask you again, what is going on here?"

Kathryn was circling them talking to them from all sides, trying to get them to fess up.

"Nothing" came the reply.

Kathryn stopped face to face with Ayala and Gerron. She stared hard at them. Normally she knew that this type of glare would have broken at least one of them down into confessing, but again she got nothing….or maybe something. Kathryn almost recoiled when at that moment she saw the anger from Gerron staring back at her. She didn't know where it came from and why it was so intense. She knew then that she had to get to the bottom of this.

And there were other ways of doing it.

"Well since nothing precipitated this, then I guess it will not happen again, but in order to ensure that, you are both on report, and will be confined to quarters for two weeks after your duty shifts, is that clear?"

Both nodded their heads instead of answering her directly.

"Dismissed." This time, Janeway's anger and disgust paralleled their own.

* * *

This time she went through the personnel reports with a fine tooth comb and then she found it. She marveled that she didn't see the pattern before, but it was there. And she knew why she had never seen it before. She trusted him to tell her. Official reports were there for the record and when she needed more information than what he gave her, but in the end she trusted him to give her a heads up and he hadn't. Eight incidents in during the span of two months, all involving former Marquis members of her crew. All seemed to be benign, but now Janeway didn't trust these reports, because now she was calling into question the integrity of the man who prepared them. Before she went flying off the handle, she needed more information.

"Janeway to Tuvok"

"Yes Captain."

"Please report to my Ready Room."

"On my way."

"Did you know anything about any of these?"

Tuvok was tapping the PADD with the data on the incidences quickly, assimilating all the particulars of the incidents. When he finished, he had a look on his face that displayed to Kathryn his confusion.

"Some, Captain. As I recall, two of the incidents on these reports had a lot more to report than this and three incidences I knew nothing about, the others are as reported. They are adequately written just lacking in certain details. However, I must admit that I never saw the connection to the former Marquis crew members until you pointed out to me just now."

"Then the question remains," Janeway stood and made her way around the desk to face Tuvok. "Why wasn't this brought to my attention? I can understand you not doing so, because you didn't know, but the first Officer on this ship knew because he falsified records. What the hell is going on here, and why has he not said anything?" Kathryn was working herself up. Tuvok saw it and moved to try to calm her down.

"Captain, I must point out that the records were not falsified, and the important parts of the records are true. The details would not change the recommended outcome, just provided a lot more detail."

"Close enough." Janeway said in a whisper and marched out of her Ready Room her face livid. Tuvok did not have the chance to say anything more. He mentally wished Chakotay good luck in dealing with her in that state and left to go to his office to conduct his own investigation. Right now vigilance was required.

* * *

Chakotay sat crossed legged on the floor staring at the pieces of parchment in his medicine bundle. He looked at the date of the letter to himself and the words on the first page…..

_I know you are going to find this hard to believe, because you don't remember but that is the point of their technology……_

That's right, he did find it hard to believe and he wouldn't if it hadn't been for the incident that began the letter known to him alone and the fact that what was being related in those pages was familiar enough, he wouldn't, but he did.

Now he was just left with feelings of grief. He closed his eyes and let his feelings wash over him. It wasn't only feelings of grief, but also feelings of anger, pain and loneliness. In the past two months, they as a crew had been through a lot with re-appearance of species 8472, the invasion and occupation of the Hirogen, the whole business with Crogan, the body hopping alien and then the Omega directive incident and now an adventure that happened, but was not recorded. And all that occurred after the incident with the biggest effect on the crew; getting message home to Starfleet and having the communications array by which they sent their first message in four years being destroyed. As for the Marquis members of the crew, the knowledge of what had happened in the alpha quadrant had caused the biggest unrest. He had tried to mask a lot of the effects that unrest from the Captain's, and the Chief of Security's eyes. He knew that they would pry into what had happened and would make a private grief very public and that was something they did not need. Chakotay knew that given time everyone would simmer down. The Marquis were used to a violent life, and they grieved violently. But when it passed, they would go back to being invaluable members of the crew. They just needed time.

Everyone needed time, even the ones who didn't know that they did. The Starfleet members of the crew didn't know about what they were coming home to and he thought it best that they didn't know, so he only spoke to the Marquis members, and only about what had happened to their former colleagues, they had a right to know, so that they would mourn their dead. Chakotay didn't think that he should to begrudge them that. He didn't say anything to the Captain. His own grief then was private and it seemed almost sacrilege to share it with her at the time. Now that they had a little time to breathe, he had planned on telling her everything. He just needed, this day, his day off to collect himself; to meditate and as soon as he did that, he was faced with another incident.

_Neelix pointed out to me, when he noticed the problems that I faced with accepting her story that it was myself and my feelings that I didn't trust.. I guess it took some time, but I did eventually let myself care for her. I trusted myself and my feelings and that trust extended to Kellin and what she was telling. I fell in love with her…again. I know that when you are reading this, you will be cursing yourself for a fool. Don't. To love and be loved however brief, I didn't regret it then, as I know that you are now._

Now that part rang true. That was him both in the then and in the now. But to have lost a love, not to have been able to make her fall in love with him again, after he had done so willingly with her. Should he have trusted himself with her? Was she only using him as a means to get Voyager to help her leave her home world? Was he duped yet again? Being at Kathryn's side was exhausting and emotionally taxing a lot of times. What he wouldn't give to have someone at his side doing what was needed to make his life more bearable.

Chakotay stood up quickly,

'_Get a hold of yourself, you're wallowing.'_

Chakotay wearily walked over to the replicator to order lunch.

But before he could do so, the chime sounded. Chakotay went and answered his door.

* * *

When they opened they revealed a furious Captain.

"Kathryn, what's wrong?" Chakotay was instantly alert.

"Commander, I need to have a word with you."

Janeway's whole posture was demanding that he let her in. He stood back and she brushed past him and went to the reception area of his quarters.

Chakotay joined her there. He stood as he normally did close to her, but Kathryn did a curious thing, she stepped back as if she didn't want to be in his personal space anymore. Chakotay's internal alarms went off.

"Captain, what's wrong?"

"Explain this!" She demanded, her tone low and held out a PADD to him.

Chakotay did not care for her voice, but he took the PADD anyway.

'_Oh Shit'_ was the thought that went through Chakotay's head as he read the contents of the PADD.

She knew.

Chakotay lowered the PADD and prepared himself for to answer for failing to tell her about certain incidences. But he was unprepared for what came next.

"What they hell is wrong with you Chakotay? Did you suddenly decide to take up the Marquis fight over again? According to my investigation, you spoke to all the Marquis crew members together in the Holodeck the day after we lost communication with the Alpha Quadrant, and then they started getting out of hand? I know that you got a letter from the Alpha Quadrant the day before this incident? What the hell was in that letter? How well your fight was going so you decided to start enticing them to riot so that you could keep us busy and then you all take over the ship!"

Kathryn was in full rant, and too late she realized what she had said. She was just so furious. All she knew was that Chakotay had betrayed her trust in him and had gone behind her back and said something to some of her crew members. Something that upset them greatly and what was left in its wake was slip shot or bad work performance, below normal efficiencies of the running of her ship and a morale that was in the toilet. The situation seemed out of control for its incidences and it was leaving a very bad taste in her mouth and a bad feeling in her stomach. Something two months old was very wrong here and Chakotay knew what it was and he did not tell her.

Chakotay stared at her in disbelief, his eyes widening that she could accuse him of _that_. And his heart turned to stone.

Kathryn saw it reflected on his face. She had gone way too far, she had to calm down.

"Cha……" She began but he cut her off swiftly.

"I will not even dignify that tirade with an answer. I expect that I will be going on report for dereliction of duty. If you want, you can add failure to acknowledge a superior officer to the charge."

"Chakotay." It was too late, by the time she had uttered his name, he was already gone.

Kathryn stood in disbelief in his quarters, he had never acted like that before and she wanted to know what was driving her over the edge with him. Since that fateful night after the party, they seemed to be at odds with each other. Not in big things, but in small things. Together, they had extracted themselves from the fight with Species 8472, they had survived a Hirogen invasion and had successfully dealt with Omega particles. Omega especially, he had been there for her and as a crew they had pulled it off without ending up being stuck in that part of space. But there were little things that were sticking in her craw, and she hadn't realized how much until she had uttered her last sentence. And she hadn't put the final piece of information together until just now. He never told her about his letter. They had shared everything until then. She hadn't held anything back including the contents of her letter and the vulnerability the night that she had gotten the letter. She had realized that he hadn't said anything a couple days after, but she kept waiting for him to come to her with it and now she realized that she was hurt that he didn't. It was so stupid, so insignificant and that's why she had put it out of her mind…or so she thought.

But it had stayed there and festered. In part it was fed by her. Kathryn didn't know why, but she kept having feelings of unease. And she wasn't sleeping well either. She seemed bogged down and couldn't get herself out of it. If she wanted to be honest, she would admit that she was a little depressed, but as usual, she ignored it. But her subconscious wasn't. Nightmares began. She found herself thinking of things that could have been if she hadn't made that fateful decision over four years ago. There were stray thoughts that came to her in unguarded moments and she chased them away purposely.

It was also fed by him. It was fed by the near constant dismissal of invitations for holodeck pursuits, meals and shore leave time to be spent together. Chakotay was isolating himself, but not from everyone. She noticed that he spent an inordinate amount of time with Gerron, Ayala, Jarvin and other former Marquis members. But he was shying away from other original Starfleet crew members. And now her hurt and jealousy, because in a sense that is exactly what it is was had led her to make such a wild accusation against him. It was not like her.

_And it is also not like him._

Chakotay has always listened to what she had to say, argued, and disagreed loudly with her, but never like this. As crazed as she was, he seemed even more so. Something was very wrong.

_Very wrong._

Her surroundings finally made an impact on her and Kathryn moved to inspect them slowly. Chakotay's quarters were a mess. Clothes were draped over chairs, a number of projects, paintings etchings, even PADDs with studies on phenomena that they had encountered in the quadrant were strewn around unfinished. Kathryn had never seen his quarters that untidy. Chakotay was neat and ordered, like his thoughts and his ideas. These quarters belonged to a man who seemed to be confused and trying to find himself, his identity. That was as far away from Chakotay as Kathryn had ever encountered. Her eyes were drawn to his medicine bundle and she was intrigued by three items that she had never seen there before. One was a beautiful bird's feather that was purple and gold, the other was a stack of parchment and the third was a small wooden carving of a bathtub, identical to the one that he built for her in New Earth.

It was at the sight of the third item that Kathryn's heart melted and then ached. What had she done? How could she believe that of him? Whatever was going on within the Marquis was not something deceitful, but something that needed attention, and her First Officer even more so.

He needed her and she had let him down. She should have paid a little more attention and squelched her feelings of jealousy instead of the truth that was right before her eyes.

"Computer, locate Commander Chakotay."

"Commander Chakotay is on Holodeck 1"

Exiting, Kathryn was glad that he was a better friend to her than she seemed to be to him. She hoped that this time she hadn't gone so far that she couldn't make it right again.


	2. Chapter 2

Chakotay heard the doors open and close. He knew who it was; only three other people on the ship could have opened the doors after he had locked them and only one had a reason for being here, instead of summoning him, yet he made no attempt to turn around until he heard the hesitant footsteps stop some 2 meters behind him. Then he turned to face her.

"Come to confine me to quarters?" He asked tartly.

"No, I came here to talk."

Chakotay turned away from her, "If you came here to continue your wild accusations, you can just stop right now, because I'm not listening."

Kathryn walked around to face him, as she turned, he thought he got a glimpse of something behind her back.

"No, I came to give you two things. One of them is this." She held up an item in her hand, Chakotay saw that it was a palm tree branch. "Peace Chakotay?" She asked hesitantly.

Chakotay did not take the branch. "What was the other thing?"

Kathryn lowered her branch and placed it on the stone beside them. Her hurt expression was almost more then Chakotay could bear, but he did. He was still very angry with her. Kathryn for her part continued, determined to make him hear what she was saying, if she couldn't take comfort in the fact that he accepted the branch, then she would take it in the fact that he had not walked out on her. She switched tactics as a sudden inspiration came to her.

"There is a sort of dilemma with the crew.'

"Why are you telling me about it, I'm sure your Security Chief is more than able to handle this"

"No he is not, this needs your expertise"

"There is a Section Head with a bit problem. Two months ago, her right hand in the department received a letter from the alpha quadrant and was very secretive about it. At the time, she didn't notice because she herself had gotten a devastating letter informing her of her ex-fiancés new wife. And then there were all the things that happen to us between then and now. When she realized that he hadn't said anything, she dismissed it, thinking that if there was something that he wanted her to know, he would tell her in his own time. So then she put it out of her mind, or so she thought. But it was unusual for him to keep such a big secret from her, after all it was a letter from home after four years of silence, anything in it was something big, so she wondered what was in it. At the same time she noticed that he was drawing into himself. At least he was drawing away from her, not doing all the things that they used to do together because he seemed to be spending more time with others and not with her. Although she prides herself in being an independent woman and after all they were not involved or anything, she was hurt by his actions and still smarting form her ex-fiancé's rejection she was not thinking clearly"

Chakotay saw it on her face, but she turned her face slightly away from him as soon as she realized that it was visible.

"Then there was an incident that occurred today involving some members of her department. When she investigated, she found that this was not the first of such incidences. The thing is that this sort of thing was caught by the person who was her right hand and not brought to her attention and with everything that's was going on, she felt betrayed. Because of that hurt, she lashed out at him and accused him of things he hadn't done, and said things that she shouldn't have and things that she didn't mean. Now she is afraid that because of what she has done, the one person who she has trusted more than life maybe lost to her personally. She doesn't want to lose the friendship and she asked me what to do in order to make things right."

"What did you say?"

Chakotay had already forgiven with her first part of her speech, it went out from him instinctively and naturally, but he wanted to hear more, to know more. That outburst from Kathryn was over the top even for her and he wanted to know exactly what was behind it. She was revealing herself to him, and he didn't want to stop it.

"Well I told her to just go to him and tell him the truth, he should accept that."

"And if he doesn't"

"I told her make sure that he hears her apology and not to give up on their friendship. I've seen the two of them together. Their relationship is one of the most life-giving that I've seen. I know for a fact that this section head is who she is today because of him and the trust nurtured in that relationship. For the good on everyone on this ship that relationship must continue."

"If she trusts him so much, what's with the wild accusations?"

"Because something is very wrong, and she's reacting to it, instinctively."

"With her or with him?"

"With both of them actually. However, I told her that for once, she should concentrate on him. What was happening to her is out and she is dealing with it and recovering even thought it's tough going sometimes. But whatever is going on with him, is still being held close to his chest, and that is what she should be concentrating on. Being there for him the way that he has been there for her……Always."

Kathryn crossed the final few feet between them and touched his arm.

"Chakotay, something is very wrong here, and it has to do with that letter that you got from the Alpha Quadrant. The craziness that came from me is reflected off of your actions. I'm hurt by your refusal to trust in me. You walked out on me in your quarters. If you hadn't and I had to guess, I would have thought that I was in Tom's Quarters. They were such a mesh, I've never seen them like that and I have never seen you like this. Something has been wrong for the past two months. Please Chakotay, tell me what it is. You have always been at my side, you have never once wavered in your commitment to me. You told me that I am your best friend, so please let me in to what is hurting you this much."

Something was. Chakotay looked lost and for a moment he just looked at her then he stepped back.

_I blew it _Kathryn felt her heart fall.

Chakotay picked up the palm branch and held it for a moment studying it. Kathryn felt hope and she took a risk. She took his hand and then she felt his fingers entwine hers. Chakotay seemed to be studying the branch for a long time and then Kathryn realized that he was composing himself.

"Walk with me Kathryn." She didn't' say anything as he guided her. She realized that she was composing herself also.

"Where are we?" She asked, looking for neutral subject to ease the heaviness of what had just transpired.

"My home planet, in the back of my village in the woods. I used to play here a lot when I was a kid. Now I come here a lot just to think."

They walked along in silence for about 15 mins through a path in the woods that was clearly defined. Finally they came to a big rock that was next to a stream. It was then that Chakotay let go of her hand and sat down making himself comfortable. She did the same next to him. He still didn't say anything for a long while. Kathryn was growing impatient, but she squelched her feelings. If there was one thing she knew that she couldn't do was rush things. So she distracted herself in her mind. She tried to think of all the work that she still had to do, but something about the calm of the environment got to her, eventually she stared into the water thinking of things that she didn't want to think about. The things that were at the heart of her crazed reaction. Things kept coming to her mind in these unguarded moments while waiting on Chakotay to speak that she didn't want to face so she kept her mind full and busy. But still those thought were in the back of her mind like pin-pricks begging for her attention. But she wasn't giving in to them. She sighed and forced her mind back on work, as usual

She was relieved when Chakotay began to speak.

"What happened today?"

"You don't know!"

"It's my day off, did you forget?"

"No, I thought that someone would have told you by now."

"I haven't heard anything."

"Ayala and Gerron started a fist fight in the Mess Hall today. Five crew members ended up in Sickbay."

Chakotay whistled. It had erupted.

"It won't happen again. I assume that this fight was started because of a stray comment about the Marquis."

"Yes, how did you know?" Kathryn looked at him perplexed. She hadn't even prepared that official report yet.

"The day after we lost contact with the Alpha Quadrant, I told them that it was all over, that the Marquis had been defeated and that all of our friends in the various cells had been killed. A few survived and they are in a Federation prison. One of the people who survived was the person who recruited me into the Marquis. She wrote me with the news."

"Chakotay, I'm so sorry." Concerned lined her eyes, and finally she understood what had been going on with certain members in her crew including her First Officer. She reached out and touched his arm. Chakotay's idea of being comfortable sitting on the rock involved hugging his knees and resting his head on his arms. He did not change position when she touched him.

"Is this what everyone's been dealing with?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me? This is having disastrous effects on the crew."

Chakotay finally looked at her and was about to speak when Kathryn continued.

"It was because of my letter wasn't it?"

"Yes, do you remember what you were like right after it?"

"Yes." Her whisper was as loud as her breath and she lowered her arm.

"Even after a time when I thought you had sufficiently recovered, I tried to find the right time to tell you, there was never that. I was so busy seeing about the Marquis and everything else that was happening, that it just never seem the right time." Chakotay continued

"And you are not the only one. I should have made the time to listening to that nagging voice in my head, but I didn't want to pry, you've always said that I'm too curious, I didn't want to prove you right again."

Chakotay finally smiled at that, and then he got serious.

"There is something else that you should know. The Cardassians are not the one who slaughtered the Marquis, at least not directly. They have a new ally, a species from the Gamma Quadrant called the Dominion. They aligned themselves with Cardassia to gain a foothold into the Alpha Quadrant and have been trying to impose their version of Quadrant order under their leaders in the Alpha Quadrant. As you can well imaging, the Federation did not take kindly to that, nor did the Klingons, We are at war Kathryn. The Federation with the Klingons, against the Dominion with the Romulans having a non-aggression pact with the Dominion."

"My God Chakotay" Kathryn shot up, and turned away. Then she wheeled to face him.

"This is a joke Chakotay, this cannot have happened. How well do you trust this person? Could she be making this up?"

Slowly Chakotay got up and faced her. "I trust her as much as I trust you, with my life." Chakotay had a funny look on his face, but Kathryn ignored it.

"I don't believe this!" Kathryn said shaking her head, She stopped suddenly and faced him squarely and said,

"We should have been there, maybe we may have been able to stop this."

"Kathryn, we don't know that. It's possible if we were there, then we would have died with them, we're alive because we got sent here."

"You mean, because I stranded us here." Kathryn exclaimed turning from him, the feeling of guilt descending on her like an avalanche

"Now you'll understand why I haven't said anything about the war to anyone. It will be too damaging if we have a crew full of people thinking what you are thinking now." Chakotay said this softly.

"Yes, now I do." They stood behind each other in silence for a little while. Kathryn turned to face him after a time.

"And you've dealt with this by yourself for two months. No wonder your quarters have been in such a mess." Kathryn got closer to him, still in her gut, there was something….something else.

"I'm surprised you came after me, you were in full snit, when I left my quarters."

"I saw something there that made me realize how wrong I was."

"In all that mess?" Chakotay asked his eyes twinkling.

Kathryn didn't return his smile. But she looked directly at him with a soft expression on her face as she said.

"Your medicine bundle was opened. There were three items that I had never seen before, two of which intrigued me greatly, one was a miniature bathtub. I read a lot into that. If that means what I think it means, then you would have never had it there if you were planning anything destructive on this ship."

"What do you think it means?"

"Well you once told me that the bundle contains items that define who you are. I'm taking it to mean that a part of who you are is defined by me."

There was a slight smile and a short nod.

"I'm honoured Chakotay." Kathryn said softly reaching out for his hand again. "Well it made me realized what a jackass I was being. Though I must confess, I'm confused, why a bathtub from New Earth? I can understand that you would want something personal, something that would define all of me. But there have been so many adventures, so many other mementos, why that one?"

"Peace" Was all Chakotay said squeezing her hand. Kathryn understood.

"I should have trusted you Chakotay, you would think that after our encounter with the Borg and Species 8472, I would have learnt my lesson."

Chakotay's face darkened. "Perhaps you shouldn't be so ready to do that." He broke the connection and turned his back. "We should be starting back, you must have a lot of work to do."

"No Chakotay," Kathryn walked in front of him and put her hand on his shoulder to stop him from moving."

"Whatever is outstanding, it can wait. And you're on your day off, remember? There is something else isn't there? The other item that had me confused was the hand written letter? Does it have something to do with that?"

"Yes it does." Chakotay looked at her uncertainly. "I fell in love Kathryn."

Whatever she expected, it wasn't this. But she was happy for him, even though a feeling of loneliness and loss came over her suddenly. She smiled but with a little hint of sadness and asked "That's wonderful Chakotay, do you mind me asking who is she?"

"Her name was Kellin, she was on the ship for a short period of time." Seeing her frown, Chakotay went on to relate the story to Kathryn.

" I find that hard to believe."

"I did too, but according to my own handwriting it happened. I also left some information on the page that only I could know about to convince me that I had written the letter."

"Are you OK about this?" Kathryn bit back her questions about the race that they had met who had so effectively wiped the memories of her crew and her computers. He would have told her if there was something she should know, something that would affect the physical safety of her crew. She trusted Chakotay, she may have acted differently today, but that reality in essence has never changed.

"Nope. Why should I be?" Turning from her Chakotay let go. "From what I can tell, I really loved her, but I wonder if I haven't been duped, yet again."

"What does you gut tell you?" Kathryn let him hide and let her voice pierce his thoughts.

"That it was real." Chakotay did not hesitate to answer. Kathryn felt her heart heavy, but she pressed on.

"Then it was. Keep the memory Chakotay and let it guide you in the future. You know sometimes I envy you. You can be so free; you give yourself totally to whatever and whomever you believe in. You take big risks."

Chakotay snorted. "Look who's talking"

Kathryn was deadly serious as she continued. "Oh, I take risks alright, but never with my heart or my emotions. I always play my cards very close to my chest. But you are able to be an effective first officer and still be very close to the crew in a way that I cannot be. In fact in a way that sometimes I dare not be, not just because I'm the Captain….but because…..

"Of the level at which you can and will be hurt." Chakotay finished for her. "Believe me Captain, sometimes I prefer your way and I know that I am envious of your absence of emotion in the face of great crisis, and you must admit the fear that you instil in some people is a lot more effective than mutual respect."

"But it's not who…."

"I am, I know my nature." Chakotay looked at her and actually began smiling. She joined him.

"Do you know what kind of blind spots I have because of it?" Chakotay asked, his smile still there, but it had becomes a little sadder and a little more wishful.

"As much as you know the kind of blind spots I have because of my nature." Indeed she did know.

"But that does not mean that you don't trust yourself in anything, only that you be more careful when the situation involves your "Spot". Once you are aware of the fact that a particular situation falls in that category, it should be easier for you to step out of yourself. And of course when it doubt ask your best friend" As Kathryn said the final sentence, a wicked smile played on her lips

"Why! For you enjoy yourself pointing out my faults?" Chakotay was laughing at this point.

"No, for me to practice doing the same with you." Kathryn sobered. "It was one of my 'Out of Borg Space' Resolutions if you will. Worked well for me during our work following the Omega Directive. When you can't trust yourself, trust me. The same way when I can't trust myself, I'm trying to trust myself to trust you."

Chakotay took his hand and very gently touched the side of Kathryn's face. His hand was enormous and it brought a warmth to Kathryn's face. His hand lingered on her face and he scrutinized her with a look of longing that began alarming her. In one brief moment of panic, she thought that he was going to kiss her. But she calmed down and trusted in him as this was her main blind spot, and he didn't disappoint. He removed it after a brief contact.

"I'll try" Chakotay changed the topic as his stomach rumbled, he was hungry. He was glad Kathryn was there; he had missed her although he didn't realize how much it until now.

"You know, Kathryn I was about to eat before I got distracted. Care to join me for a picnic, or do you have too much work to do to get away?"

"I'd love to love to join you for lunch, and the reports can wait what I'm doing here is more important."

"Oh, and what are you doing here?"

"Being here for my best friend." Kathryn was serious when she said it and then she grinned, "Besides, I can't remember when I had lunch that I didn't work through, must have been about oh….." She cocked her head as she pretended to be trying to remember.

"Two months ago." Chakotay laughed

"I wonder why."

"Computer……."

The end

**Part 10: A Matter of Trust**


End file.
